1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to non-lethal payloads, devices incorporating the same and methods of producing illuminance and noise. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to non-lethal payloads and devices including such payloads for delivering improved flash, noise, and pressure variances to incapacitate, distract or incapacitate as well as distract one or more subjects. These effects may also be used as warning shots to attract the attention of individuals in vehicles or water vessels entering unauthorized areas or to maintain a standoff distance of riotous crowds.
2. State of the Art
Non-lethal devices and diversionary devices, such as so-called “flash-bangs,” are used by a variety of military, law enforcement, security and other personnel to provide diversions in combat or operational situations or to provide demonstrations and simulated combat conditions during training. When activated, non-lethal devices or diversionary devices deliver a flash of light and noise to an area surrounding the activated device, the light and sound being designed to temporarily incapacitate personnel without causing permanent injuries. The flash of light may temporarily blind one or more persons viewing the flash of light and the noise produced by the device may incapacitate a person's auditory capabilities.
The desired effect of a non-lethal device or flash-bang device is to temporarily distract or incapacitate one or more people within a general vicinity of the device when the device is activated. Ideally, the device does not permanently injure or fatally wound people exposed to the effects of an activated device. With these goals in mind, non-lethal devices have been developed to deliver the desired intensity, or flashes, of light and corresponding noise. However, in some instances, activation of the non-lethal devices occasionally results in unwanted fatalities.
For example, the United States Government has used a diversionary device based on the design of an M116A1 hand-grenade simulator, which has a cardboard body. Typically, an M201 fuse was attached to the M116A1 hand-grenade simulator using a potting compound. The diversionary devices based upon the M116A1 hand-grenade simulator, while effective, also exhibited some problems with flash-throughs in the fuse assembly. At times, the flash-throughs would cause premature activation of the device, which could result in injuries or fatalities for the user of the device. In addition, the M201 fuses used with the diversionary devices were occasionally ejected from the device upon activation at velocities that could be potentially lethal or injurious to users and to subjects in the blast zone of the device when activated. In addition, occasional fires have been caused by the burning of the cardboard body of the M116A1 hand-grenade simulator after activation of the device. At times, excessive smoke could also be produced by the device, which smoke could interfere with the desired activities of the personnel employing the diversionary device.
In an attempt to resolve some of the problems of diversionary devices based on the M116A1 hand-grenade simulator, a new diversionary device was created: the Mk141. The Mk141 includes a fire-retardant foam body and a smaller charge of flake aluminum and potassium perchlorate flash powder housed in the body. A molded plastic fuse assembly connected to the body helps to eliminate flash-through problems. In addition, a small pyrotechnic charge separates the fuse from the main body of the device such that, upon activation, a high-speed ejection of the fuse from the device caused by the flash-powder may be prevented. The use of the foam body for the Mk141 helps to reduce the production of high-density fragments that could cause injury upon fragmentation, also helps to reduce the instance of fires, and produces less smoke than other devices.
The Mk141 does have some problems, however. For example, if the Mk141 is activated too close to a subject, the near field effects such as the pressure and noise may be extreme enough to injure or fatally wound the subject. In addition, the charges used with the Mk141 include Class 1.1 explosives, which are sensitive to shock, thermal, electrostatic, and mechanical ignition stimuli. Thus, the Mk141 must be handled with extreme caution because of the explosives used.
Other undesired characteristics of the Mk141 and M116A1 hand-grenade simulator type diversionary devices also cause concern. For example, such devices rely upon an energetic material to cause their explosive output, which energetic material may be accidentally activated. If the energetic material is activated while the device is in contact with a person, such as a user carrying the device, the activation of the device may blow off a person's hand or limb, or may cause a fatal wound.
In an attempt to prevent injuries caused by diversionary devices such as the Mk141 device and the M116A1 hand-grenade simulator device, alternative diversionary devices are being developed. An example of an improved diversionary device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,680 to Grubelich, assigned to Sandia Corporation, and entitled “Diversionary Device.” The Grubelich patent discloses a device in which a black powder propellant is used to heat an aluminum powder fuel and move it from the device, wherein the heated aluminum powder mixes with ambient air and is activated for producing a fuel/air explosion.
Although improvements in diversionary devices have been made, there remains a desire to further improve the incapacitating characteristics of such devices. For example, improvements in the ability of a device to produce a flash that impairs the visual capabilities of a subject exposed to the device for a longer period of time are desired. Improvements in the noise produced by such devices is also desired, for example, such that the “bang” caused by the device shocks a subject without causing permanent auditory damage or fatal injury to the subject. There is also a continuing need to improve the safety of such non-lethal and diversionary devices.